"The coming back thus, after an excursion in the felucca, is one of the many pleasant things that one has to remember of the Nile. The sun has set; the afterglow has faded; the stars are coming out. Leaning back with a satisfied sense of something seen or done, one listens to the old dreamy chant of the rowers, and to the ripple under the keel. ... We are at home once more. Let us eat, drink, rest, and be merry; for tomorrow the hard work of sight-seeing and sketching begins again."

Amelia Edwards, from 'A Thousand Miles up the Nile'

This 3-week Study Tour of Egypt has an emphasis on the reign of Ramesses the Great and monarchs of the 19th and 20th Dynasties. We arrive in Cairo and head by bus to Saqqara where we explore the majestic Step Pyramid, the mastaba tombs of the Sixth Dynasty officials and the magnificent colossus of Ramesses at Memphis. The following day we tour Giza where we see the pyramids of the Fourth Dynasty.

We spend a day exploring the treasures of the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum with an emphasis on the New Kingdom period. We then fly to Luxor where we spend a week exploring the local antiquities. We see the impressive ruins of the temple of Luxor and visit the Luxor Museum. We visit the restored House of Howard Carter before visiting the Valley of the Kings where we explore three royal tombs from the Ramesside Period. In the afternoon we visit the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri.

Our next visit is to Deir el Medina, the village of the workmen. We see two of their tombs and the Ptolemaic temple of Hathor. We explore some of the tombs of the nobles and visit the lovely ruins of the Ramesseum, the mortuary temple of Ramesses II. There is then a free day to rest and relax or explore Luxor.

A day trip from Luxor takes us to Abydos where we see the finely carved and painted temples of King Sety I and Ramesses II. We then explore Karnak Temple and see the remarkable finds in the Luxor Museum. Our final day in Luxor we see the remains of the Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, and three of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Queens.

We then board our Nile cruise for a journey to Aswan. We stop en route to see the well preserved Ptolemaic temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. In Aswan we take a felucca ride on the Nile, visit the Monastery of St Simeon, explore the beautiful Temple of Philae, and see the Granite Quarries of Aswan.

A highlight of the trip is the cruise on Lake Nasser. This 3-night cruise takes us from Aswan to Abu Simbel. Along the way we stop to see the temple of Ramesses II at Beit el-Wali and the Roman shrine of Mandulis at Kalabsha. We also visit the beautiful temples of Wadi es-Sebua, Dakka, Derr, and Amada. Our cruise concludes at the foot of the rock-cut temples of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. We then fly back to Cairo where we spend an afternoon exploring the mediaeval city of Cairo.

Felucca at Aswan

ITINERARY*

Day 1: Arrive in Cairo.
You should arrive in Cairo. Overnight Cairo.

Day 2: Memphis - Saqqara Step Pyramid - Memphis
In the morning we visit the ruins of Memphis where we see the colossal statue of Ramesses the Great in the local museum. In the afternoon we explore Saqqara. We start with the remarkable Third Dynasty Step Pyramid of Djoser. We then explore the well preserved Old Kingdom mastaba tombs of Mereruka and Kagemni. We also see the Pyramid of King Tety and descend into the burial chamber to see the famous Pyramid Texts. Overnight Cairo.

Day 3: Giza pyramids
In the morning we visit Giza where we see the Pyramids. We have a close-up view of the Great Pyramid of Khufu and then visit the pyramid of Khafre. Lunch is spent at a restaurant in Giza. Afterwards we explore Khafre's impressive Valley Temple and see the Sphinx. Overnight Cairo.


Day 4: The Grand Egyptian Museum
In the morning we visit the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum concentrating on the New Kingdom remains. We see the statues and reliefs of the 18th Dynasty and Ramesside Period including the treasures of Tutankhamun. In the afternoon there is free time for exploring other parts of the museum's collection. In the evening, we fly to Luxor. Overnight Luxor.

Day 5: Luxor Temple - Luxor markets
In the morning we visit Luxor Temple, located in the heart of the modern city. We take our time to explore this picturesque monument concentrating on the remains of the Ramesside Period. We then take a walk through the markets of Luxor and have lunch overlooking the temple of Luxor. There is some free time in the afternoon to rest and relax. Overnight Luxor.

Day 6: Carter's House - Valley of the Kings - Deir el-Bahri
In the morning we visit Howard Carter's House at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings. We have a coffee in a local cafe before travelling to the Valley of the Kings. Here we see three of the royal tombs of the New Kingdom including the tomb of Merenptah (the Tomb of Tutankhamun is an optional extra). In the afternoon we visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Dei el Bahri), including the newly reconstructed Third Terrace. Overnight Luxor.

Day 7: Deir el-Medina - Tombs of the Nobles - Ramesseum
In the morning we visit Deir el-Medina, the ancient village of the workmen. We explore the village and two superb painted tombs of the Ramesside Period. We then see a number of the other painted tombs belonging to high officials of the New Kingdom in the so-called 'Valley of the Nobles'. We have lunch in a nearby café. The afternoon is spent looking at the romantic ruins of the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II, also known as the Ramesseum. Overnight Luxor.


Day 8: Free day in Luxor
This day is set aside for rest and relaxation. There are many activities: read a book, organise a balloon ride over the Theban Hills, ride a camel or donkey, take a felucca sail boat ride or shop at your own leisure in the markets. The Luxor area offers a remarkable concentration of monuments which you can choose to explore at your own pace and it is easy to arrange transport. The possibilities are endless! Overnight Luxor.

Day 9: Day excursion to Abydos and Dendera
In the morning we head north of Luxor to see the mortuary temples of Sety I and Ramesses II at Abydos. These superb painted temples contain beautiful wall reliefs and the famous king list which are a highlight of the program. We also see the Osireon, mythological tomb of Osiris, and explore the small Temple of Ramesses II. After a picnic lunch we head back to Luxor, stopping en route to see the impressive Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor at Dendera and wander around the ruins. Overnight Luxor.

Day 10: Karnak Temple - Luxor Museum
The day is set aside to explore the ruins of the vast Temple of Karnak. We spend the morning looking at the forecourt and Hypostyle Hall, before wandering around the impressive shrine. In the afternoon we see the festival hall of Tuthmosis III, the Temple of Ptah and the little-visited Ramesside Temple of the Moon God Khonsu. After a rest, we visit Luxor Museum. Overnight Luxor.

Day 11: Medinet Habu - Valley of the Queens - Nile cruise
In the morning we see the monumental mortuary temple of Ramesses III known today as Medinet Habu. We also see three royal tombs in the Valley of the Queens. In the afternoon we begin our Nile cruise - we sail upstream towards Edfu. We relax and watch scenes of village life, fishermen on the river and birdlife en route. Our journey takes us through the lock at Esna in the evening. Overnight Nile cruise boat.


Day 12: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples - Nile cruise
In the morning we see the remarkable Ptolemaic Temple of Horus at Edfu. Completed in the period of Cleopatra, Edfu temple is richly decorated with scenes and inscriptions. From here we continue our cruise to Kom Ombo, where the ruins of the Ptolemaic Temple of Sobek are dramatically set beside the River Nile. Overnight Nile cruise boat.

Day 13: Aswan - Felucca sailboat ride - Monastery of St Simeon
We spend the day on a felucca sailboat exploring the beautiful islands of Aswan. This includes a stop to visit the Botanical gardens on Kitchener's Island. We also ride a camel (or take a short walk) to the 10th Century Monastery of St Simeon located in the desert west of Aswan. Overnight Nile Cruise boat.

Day 14: Philae Temple - Granite Quarry - Aswan High Dam
In the morning we head by motorboat to the beautiful ruins of Philae, cult place of Isis, said by many to be Egypt's most beautiful temple. We also see the fascinating granite quarries of Aswan including the remarkable unfinished obelisk. From here we travel to see the Aswan High Dam, built in the 1960's and 70's to control the flooding of the Nile. We then join our Lake Nasser Cruise Boat.

Day 15: Lake Nasser Cruise - Kalabsha - Beit el Wali
In the morning we see the beautiful painted rock-cut temple of Ramesses II at Beit el-Wali, and explore the impressive Roman Period temple of Kalabsha dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis, re-erected with a view over Lake Nasser. The cruise boat sails in the afternoon. Overnight cruise boat.

Day 16: Lake Nasser Cruise - Wadi es-Sebua, Dakka, Maharakka
In the morning we visit the picturesque temple of Wadi es-Sebua, constructed by Ramesses the Great. The temple is situated in a dramatic desert landscape and was moved when the Aswan Dam was built. We take a camel ride across a vast desert landscape to see the ruins of the Temple of Dakka (Ptolemaic Period) and the Roman shrine of Maharakka. The afternoon is spent cruising through a scenic landscape. Later we explore the romantic desert Temples of Amada (18th Dynasty) and Derr (Ramesses the Great). Overnight cruise boat.

Day 17: Lake Nasser Cruise - Abu Simbel
In the morning we arrive in Abu Simbel, the remarkable Nubian temples of Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari which were carved into the native rock. These spectacular temples were moved during the building of the High Dam. We have plenty of time to wander around the temples. In the afternoon we drive back to Aswan. Overnight Aswan.


Day 18: Fly to Cairo - Islamic Cairo
In the morning we fly to Cairo. We then tour the Old City of Cairo and see some of the awe inspiring buildings of the Islamic Period. A highlight is the monumental 19th Century Mosque of Mohamed Ali in the Citadel of Saladin. We also see the awe-inspiring 14th Century Mosque of Sultan Hassan. The day ends in the Khan el-Khalili markets with time set aside for shopping. Overnight Cairo.

Day 19: Depart Cairo
We depart Cairo International Airport.

* Please note that the Company reserves the right to make alterations to the itinerary in the period up to 60 days prior to a tour departure. The itinerary may also be subject to minor re-arrangement due to the scheduling of the operators and availability of access. If this occurs, the Company will endeavour to provide a comparable alternative.